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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22917583">Somewhere Out There</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/JehBeeEh/pseuds/JehBeeEh'>JehBeeEh</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Ahead by a Century [41]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Dialogue Heavy, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, sweet and fluffy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 16:27:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,292</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22917583</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/JehBeeEh/pseuds/JehBeeEh</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He sat on the floor for at least an hour. Thinking. Looking around. Imagining what could be, what may have been. All the What Ifs, the branching timelines and possibilities associated with all their decisions so far – both those that were and the ones they hadn't picked. Not in a bad way, just, letting the thoughts come and go as they pleased. It was oddly peaceful. Not quite as panic inducing as he had expected when his brain had started to wander originally.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Steve Rogers/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Ahead by a Century [41]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1514069</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>144</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Somewhere Out There</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He sat on the floor for at least an hour. Thinking. Looking around. Imagining what could be, what may have been. All the What Ifs, the branching timelines and possibilities associated with all their decisions so far – both those that were and the ones they hadn't picked. Not in a bad way, just, letting the thoughts come and go as they pleased. It was oddly peaceful. Not quite as panic inducing as he had expected when his brain had started to wander originally.</p><p>“FRI said you were in here.”</p><p>Steve hadn’t heard Tony walk up the stairs. He looked up to find him perched against the door frame, hands in his pockets, smiling at him softly.</p><p>“When did you get home?” He made grabby hands to his husband, making the brunette smile wider as he entered the room.</p><p>“Just now.” Tony sat himself on Steve's lap, the blond cradling him in his arms and holding him tightly. “Whatcha doin’ in here?”</p><p>Steve thought over the question, not quite sure what had brought him into the room in the first place. He shrugged lightly, kissed Tony's still beautifully tanned skin, smiling at the quick flashback to their honeymoon that brought on, and rested his head on his. “Not too sure how I got here, but then just started thinking.”</p><p>“Only good things I hope?”</p><p>“Yeah… not bad.” He nuzzled into Tony's hair a little before asking simply, “Do you ever worry we went too fast?”</p><p>Tony stilled for a moment, unsure where his husband was going with this. “I can't say I ever have, no. Are you, worried?”</p><p>“No, not really,” Steve answered. They were quiet for a time, both pondering the question the blond had posed. “I don't regret any of it. From the beginning, even in my very awkward fan-boy moments, it always felt right and easy with you. It feels like we have been thrown some weird curveballs along the way and, I wonder… if we hadn’t been married or renovating this place or if we hadn't gone public as early as we did… would one of those things have been too much? Would you have just thought going back to your single life would be simpler, from a PR perspective? Would I have just not wanted to deal with all this attention anymore? There were just lots of What Ifs going through my mind, I guess. Just curiosity, not regrets.”</p><p>Tony nodded against his chest, taking it in. “I have never once regretted any of our decisions either. And, I’d like to think that time wouldn’t have changed that either. That's why I asked you to marry me, cause I just didn’t want to waste time anymore. I don't think the paparazzi or jobs or crazy ex-boyfriends would have changed anything. Cause regardless of all that, one thing just wouldn’t change-" Tony pulled back a bit, letting his head drop over Steve's arm so he could look up at him. “I am madly in love with you, Steve Rogers. And I would have kept asking you out and proposing until I wore you down and you said yes.”</p><p>“You are so romantic sometimes,” Steve looked fondly at him before leaning down to bump their noses together, making Tony burst into laughter.</p><p>“And you are a five-year-old,” the brunette answered before kissing him properly. “But really, where did that come from?”</p><p>“I was just letting my brain wander, nothing bad, I mean it. I guess with all the paperwork we have to fill out, it just got me reminiscing and thinking about the future too.” He paused for a beat. “It does feel like… I dunno. Sometimes I worry something will just catch us out of left field and it'll be too much. And if we go through with this… babe, it isn’t just about us anymore, you know?”</p><p>Tony shifted backwards so he was now sitting next to Steve, legs crossed. “It's scary, huh?” he admitted.</p><p>“It's fucking terrifying!” Steve chuckled. He looked over at Tony, grabbing his hand.</p><p>“Well, if we don't want to be caught out of left field, anything else I should know about? No more ex-boyfriends? Are you secretly a contestant on Masked Singer? Any alter egos?” Tony looked much too serious, making Steve laugh even more with each question.</p><p>“You would know if I was on Masked Singer, I would have been kicked off already. No alter egos. Though, Bucky and I did win a campus edition of American Idol during Frosh Week, does that count?”</p><p>“What?! How has that never come up??”</p><p>“Cause it was before the age of smartphones and Facebook! Thank God for that. As for exes, I should probably tell you Natasha and I went on a date once.”</p><p>“You've been holding out on me, Steve!”</p><p>“Wasn’t exciting. It was the second time I met her. She asked me out, we went to the movies then dinner. If you think our first date was awkward, man, I did not know what to do with myself with her. I dropped her home, and in the car she just told me to humor her, she kissed me, and it was horrible. She got out of the car, told me she'd see me tomorrow, and we didn’t talk about our date for 3 months after that. Realized we were better off as friends. We laugh about it now.”</p><p>Tony just laughed at the story, trying to imagine a young Steve putting the moves on Nat. “Well, you know everything scandal-wise for me, and exes… well yeah.  You know that too. I don't think there is anything that hasn’t been reported on, so maybe you missed some things, but it wouldn't be new, and if it is new, it is for both if us. I’m pretty boring otherwise.”</p><p>“If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that you are nothing but boring, sweetheart,” Steve answered, grinning wildly at his husband. He let himself fall to the side, his head resting in Tony's lap, looking around the soft pastel room again. Tony's hands brushed through his hair, feeling so good. They sat in comfortable silence for a little while, both gazing about the room, before Steve turned to look up at Tony. “We can do this, right?”</p><p>“Well, I know you can. Still not convinced I’ll be half decent at it, but all they need is one good parent, right?”</p><p>“You are going to be the most amazing dad, I have no doubt, Tony.” The brunette opened his mouth to protest, and Steve just pulled himself up to kiss him, taking his time. “No arguing with me on this, got it?”</p><p>“How can you be so sure?” Tony's voice was soft with a hint of uncertainty to it, as his brown eyes searched Steve's blue ones for an answer.</p><p>Steve’s look softened. He took Tony's face in his hands and kissed his husband tenderly before letting his forehead rest on his. “Because you are the most awesome, fun, sweet, loving, and caring partner and friend. You are such a fantastic husband, Tony. I have no doubt you’ll love our kid just as much, if not more than you love me. Neither of us will be perfect, but I genuinely believe that as a team – together? – we've got this. And, if we're lucky, they’ll even get your genes, and they will be smart and beautiful, just like you.”</p><p>“Thank you, sweetheart,” Tony rubbed their noses together, sighing happily. “I still hope they get <em>your</em> genes.”</p><p>“Guess it'll be up to fate,” Steve answered, kissing Tony's nose, making him chuckle. He looked at his husband fondly, happiness seeping through him. “We're really doing this?”</p><p>Tony nodded. “Yeah. Let’s try and have a baby, baby.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This one was fun and fluffy to write, and I loved it!<br/>In case it isn't super clear, they are in the baby room Steve originally painted around Christmas time.<br/>I'll try not to let this fun new little development overtake everything, but it will be part of a couple upcoming fics. I gotta say, if anyone looked at my Google searches right now, they'd seriously wonder what the heck is going on.  HAHA!</p><p>Hope you enjoyed! :)<br/>Off to deal with Snowmaggedon over here.  Yay! (sarcasm)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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